


an old regret

by boyslightup



Category: Monty Python's Flying Circus
Genre: (not for the fjords), M/M, Pining, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-24 19:01:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30076902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boyslightup/pseuds/boyslightup
Summary: Two old companions have a chance reunion.
Relationships: Mr Pither/Reginald Gulliver
Comments: 7
Kudos: 7





	an old regret

**Author's Note:**

  * For [gripweeed](https://archiveofourown.org/users/gripweeed/gifts).



> for some reason i've been on a mr pither/mr gulliver high so naturally i had to do something with it so here we are!

Mr Pither was never a man with many regrets. No matter what he went through, he preferred to keep things simple. It wasn’t often that he revisited the past, but when he did, most of it was never melancholy. There was one regret that sat in the back of his mind, though. A regret that moments ago strode through the doorway of the bar he sat in.

At first, it didn't settle in Pither’s mind whom he  just saw. He was happy sitting in his usual seat at the bar, downing a pint. It only being the early afternoon, past lunchtime, and pre people clocking off, the joint was quiet. Most of the tables and seats were vacant, but everyone who was there kept to themselves.

Caught up in discussing the mundane with the barman, Pither didn't pay any attention to the newcomer . He took a gulp of his beer, and the barman took the moment of peace as an opportunity to help the other man. Putting his glass back down, Pither looked from the corner of his eye to the man, then back down at his drink.

“I’ll have…” The man’s words hardly registered in Pither’s uninterested ears. They  were drowned out by the tangent unfolding in his mind. Still distracted, the man slid into the seat two seats away.

Out of courtesy, Pither looked up and gave him a nod. Looking forward, he paused, mind ticking over. From the corner of his eye he had a clearer look at him. Dark hair, stern but friendly features on the familiar face of a man he hadn't seen in a long, long time. His heart sank.

Turning his head, Pither’s jaw clenched and a lump formed in his throat. At a proper glance, he was certain who it was. “Reginald Gulliver?”

Glass to his lips, Reginald looked at him and spat out his mouthful of beer. He wiped the droplets on his chin off on the back of his hand, and his eyes were wide as though he was staring at a ghost. “Mr Pither?”

“Reginald!” Mr Pither grinned. He squinted hard to ensure he wasn’t dreaming.  Upon opening them, his eyes taking a split second to readjust to the world around him, he confirmed this was  really happening . After such a long time of being apart, he was back in the company of his one-time companion, Reginald Gulliver.

“What are the chances!” Mr Pither abandoned his drink to walk up to him. He outstretched his hand, but Reginald swatted it away, getting up out of his seat and opting for a hug instead. “What are you doing here?”

Reginald almost squeezed the life out of Pither, arms around his waist and his chin resting on his shoulder . He still smelled like the cologne he remembered so well. Pither threw his arms around his shoulders and pulled him in tighter.

“I’m visiting for work,” Reginald said, snuggling his face closer against Pither’s neck. “It’s so wonderful to see you again. You don’t know how much I’ve missed you.”

Had he heard Reginald  correctly ? Pulling away, Pither furrowed his brow. So much time had passed that he assumed Reginald would have forgotten about him.  After the whole personality fiasco tied in with the Soviets, he always wondered how much of that adventure he remembered at all .

“You what?” Pither asked, taken aback.

“I said I missed you,” Delight overcame Reginald's face and tone. He looked around at everyone nearby and hummed. “Is it all right if we talk somewhere else?”

Mr Pither grabbed both their drinks and met him at a table in the far corner beside the jukebox. It played soft tunes, the right volume so no one would overhear them.

Amidst the silence, Pither caught himself looking too long at Reginald. It was surreal to see him again, and he seemed unchanged. He adjusted his spectacles and stared into his half-empty glass. Wriggling in his seat, he sighed.

“So,” Pither said, “what have you been up to? How’s the study going? If it’s still going ahead, that is.”

Breaking his silence (and soft stare) Reginald spoke. “We’ve made some major progress, but there’s still a long way to go. In fact, I used our meeting as evidence and feedback to lead us in the right direction.” He grabbed his glass and took a swig. “How was the rest of your tour?”

Impressed and flattered by Reginald’s memory, Pither grinned. “Well, none of it was as interesting as when we were together. North Cornwall is quite boring compared to Moscow.” He shook his head. “It’s a shame I was only sentenced to death once more! That time it was by…”

“Fascinating,” Reginald nodded along, “you  really do know how to get yourself into trouble, don’t you?”

Pither shrugged. “Believe me,  being executed was the least of my worries.  I could’ve done with you there when the roast chicken I picked up for dinner on the home stretch  was run over by some madman in a garbage truck !” He frowned, tone changing. Deep down he wished Reginald would have stayed with him, and that wish cut as it surfaced.

“Are you all right?” Reginald asked. He leaned his elbows on the table, “Is something on your mind?”

For once, Pither was unsure what to say.  He shrugged again and tapped his fingers against the surface of the table,  nearly knocking over his glass . It was a blessing that it was empty now.

Catching Pither off guard, Reginald rested his hand over one of his. His hand was warm, fingers still lingering with the coolness of his glass. Pither’s heart began to beat so hard he thought it would leap out of his chest.

“Mr Pither?”

“What?” Pither shook his head, “Oh, right. Yes, I’m  perfectly fine, thank you. Not a single thing out of place, in fact.” When Reginald took his hand in his own and pulled it closer to himself, Pither tensed.  The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end when Reginald pressed his lips against his knuckles, then held his hand against his cheek .

“I  really did miss you,” Reginald whispered. He kissed Pither’s hand again, then smiled against the back of his fingers. “ I think about you more than I should.”

Pither gulped. This was all a bit more soap-opera-like than he was comfortable with. The feeling of the light kiss echoed, striking sorrow in his heart. His regret made him often try hard to avoid thinking about Reginald.

Nervous, Pither suggested they get another drink. It warranted Reginald giving him a frown. God, his frown made it impossible to turn away.

“We've only met once,” Pither said, unsure of what else to say.

Reginald returned to his smile, and it warmed Pither's heart. “And it was the best adventure I’ve ever been on.” He shook his head and scratched the back of his neck. “Well, I suppose  nearly getting us both killed wasn't too enjoyable.”

“I remember I did some mad things to find and save you,” Pither said, memories seeping into his mind. “What started as a nice little cycling tour around North Cornwall led me to you, which I guess wasn't too bad.” That bit made Reginald chuckle.

Reginald pursed his lips. His shoulders rose and he straightened his posture.  “Look,” He drew a deep breath, “and I don’t want to seem presumptive or like I'm coming on too strong, but I wanted to ask if you were seeing anyone .”

“What?” Pither stared at him, head tilted and face puzzled. Did he mean that in the traditional sense or the literal sense? Either way, his pulse quickened and his stomach dropped. The shy pleading in Reginald’s eyes gave the answer away. “Oh, no. No, I’m not.”

Slumping back in his chair, Reginald grinned. “What a stroke of luck, then.”

Pursing his lips, Pither nodded. There were many things he wanted, no,  needed , to say but he didn’t know when or how. The growing regret of their parting stung. It was still nice to be with Reginald.

“Well,” Reginald coughed, the tone of his voice strengthening, “what are you doing after this? Or is that too soon?”

After so long apart, there was no ‘too soon'. Without hesitation, Pither blurted that out. His rosy cheeks turned darker. Then, remembering he hadn’t actually answered Reginald’s question, he did.

“ I think we should go somewhere together.” Reginald raised his eyebrow and smiled. “We have a lot more to catch up on, and I’d prefer it alone. This place is nice, but-”

“That’d be very good, wouldn’t it? It’s nice to get a breath of fresh air, every now and again.” Pither scratched his chin. “How long are you staying for? I could show you around. I know this area quite well, you see. Well, I guess me having lived here for years would lead me to have such impressive local knowledge, wouldn’t it?”

Reginald backed out of his seat and stood up,  visibly endeared. He reached out his hand. “We can talk about that later, can’t we?” When Pither stood up too and held it, he dragged him towards the door. “Now, come on. Let’s get out of here.”


End file.
